1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for enhancing exercises by providing to a user multiple stimuli and by tracking multiple responses of a user, all with programmable electronic control.
2. The Background Art
Exercise continues to be problematic for persons having limited time and limited access to outdoor recreational facilities or large indoor recreational facilities. Meanwhile, more, and more realistic, simulated, training environments are needed for lower cost instruction and practice.
For example, flight training requires a very expensive aircraft. Nuclear plant control requires a complex system of hardware and software. Combat vehicle training, especially large force maneuvers, requires numerous combat vehicles and supporting equipment. Personal fitness may require numerous machines of substantial size and sophistication placed in a large gym to train athletes in skill or strength, especially if all muscle groups are to be involved. In short, training with real equipment may require substantial real estate and equipment, with commensurate cost.
Many activities may by taught, practiced and tested in a simulated environment.
However, simulated environments often lack many or even most of the realistic stimuli received by a user in the real world including motions over distance, forces, pressures, sensations, temperatures, images, multiple views in the three-dimensions surrounding a user, and so forth. Moreover, many simulations do not provide the proper activities for a user, including a full range of motions, forces, timing, reflexes, speeds, and the like.
What is needed is a system for providing to a user more of the benefits of a real environment in a virtual environment. Also needed is a system for providing coordinated, synchronized, sensory stimulation by multiple devices to more nearly simulate a real three-dimensional spatial environment. Similarly needed is an apparatus and method for tracking a plurality of sensors monitoring a user's performance, integrating the inputs provided by such tracking, and providing a virtual environment simulating time, space, motion, images, forces and the like for the training, conditioning, and experience of a user.
Likewise needed is more complete feedback of a user's condition and responses. Such feedback to a controller capable of changing the stimuli and requirements (such as images, electromuscular and audio stimulation, loads and other resistance to movement, for example) imposed on a user is needed to make training and exercise approach the theoretical limits of comfort, endurance, or optimized improvement, as desired. Moreover, a system is needed for providing either a choice or a combination of user control, selectable but pre-programmed (template-like or open loop) control, and adaptive (according to a user's condition, comfort, or the like) control of muscle and sensory stimulation, resistances, forces, and other actuation imposed on a user by the system, according to a user's needs or preferences.